by Lori Milner
Happiness is subjective because we all have different rules for what it will take to be happy. I am not here to give you a magic formula but rather to offer a set of questions to help you understand what it means for you.
Read moreYOU are brave enough to do this!
by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department
Imposter Syndrome. Yes that’s right, it’s time to pull back the duvet and look this thing straight in the face and call it out for what it is. In the HBR article ‘Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome’ by Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey (here) they say: “Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments.” Note - ‘high-achieving people’, not high-achieving women, yet women seem to admit to it more or are allowed to own it more (‘allowed’ - you know what we’re talking about!). Yet over 70% of us have experienced this at one or more times, that’s both male and female.
Read moreThe Art of Bouncing Back and Sustaining Real Change
by Phindile Ndlovu
We don’t know our strength until we are tested! We do not know what we can achieve until we start getting to work. Imagine a situation where the world as you knew it, has changed. Your whole family structure, living arrangement, and budget changed. This was me. I woke up one day, and my life was changing. I was divorcing. I remember feeling depressed and down and out. I remember feeling suicidal and hopeless. I saw how I was losing myself and I knew I had to make a choice. I could either keep ruminating or I could get up and take things step by step. As much as I did not know where it came from, I found that deep in my broken heart, I had hope. I believed that a better ending would prevail, and so, I got up. At first, I knew I had to refuel because I had nothing to pour into my business. I also knew I must heal and be whole to be creative in my craft.
Read more10 Life Lessons they don't teach you in Harvard Business School
by Margaret Hirsch
Most people go to Business School first and then go into business. I did it the other way around. There was no money to pay for any tertiary education, so I went straight to work and then I went into business not knowing anything about business or how it worked. I always tell people I attended the school of hard knocks!! Remember, in the words of the great Rocky, ‘It’s not how many times you get knocked over, it’s how many times you just keep getting up!’ However, once I made it and made my fortune, I went back to school and did my Business Degree, my Honours, and ultimately my MBA which I received the year I turned 70.
Read moreHalfway there - ditch the hype, embrace the unlearning
by Zanele Njapha
We've all been there. January 1st rolls around, bursting with possibility. Our vision boards are plastered with dream vacations, career milestones, and that elusive "get-fit" goal. But by mid-year, that initial enthusiasm often fizzles. Life gets busy, unforeseen hurdles arise, and those resolutions start to feel like a distant memory.
Read more“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going” - Jim Ryun
by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department
The self made billionaire J.D.Rockefeller, who some consider the richest man ever (we don’t, for us Mansa Musa, Mali’s ancient ruler covers that accolade and ticks our ‘Africa is best’ box - just saying!), was obsessed with rules and habits that drove his own demeanour (always punctual, always well dressed, even in the early days when he was starting out with nothing), that drove how he ran his huge company, and also drove his dealings with others.
Read moreHow to Turn Anxiety into Insight
by Lori Milner
Anxiety is an emotion, not a character flaw. When you find yourself anxious, it is due to a series of choices that result in a state of anxiety. If you can follow the breadcrumbs of how you created it, then you can begin to unravel it.
Read moreEmpowered and independent women
by Margaret Hirsch
As many of you know my goal in life is to ensure that every woman, especially every African woman is financially independent. A financially independent woman has choices. She has money in the bank, she can live where she wants, she can drive the car she wants to drive, he can educate her children and, she can please herself. There is a old saying: "If you please yourself, at least you are pleasing someone.”
Read moreStepping Out of Comfort Zones, Embracing Change to Chase Your Dreams
by Margaret Hirsch
Are you stuck in a job that pays well, puts a roof over your head and food on the table, but secretly, deep down, you really wish you could be doing something else?Something that would really fill your cup. I had this conversation with a friend recently. She has just turned 40 and is in a really good, well-paying job. She is top of her game but just feels that there is more out there. That’s exactly how I felt a few years ago and so I decided to make a change.
Read moreSharpening Your Axe as An Entrepreneur
by Ntsoaki Sibiya
The entrepreneurial journey primes you with marks of strength and resilience. It is not an easy ride, but it is certainly a fulfilling labour of love when you walk in your authentic purpose and use your expertise, skills and talents to make a meaningful contribution in impacting the lives of others.
Read moreGoogle's Impact: Supercharge Your Business
by Margaret Hirsch
I have to say that I have had an ongoing affair with Google since I first discovered it. In business today, we need all the help we can get, and staying ahead of the curve is not just an advantage – it’s a necessity!! Connecting with your audience is the name of the game- it’s like having a dinner party, cooking the food, laying the table, and not inviting any guests! How do you get those guests (customers) into your store?
Read moreThe two Ps (Patience & Persistence) - how to use them
by Yolanda Matine
Patience and persistence are two essential qualities that can make all the difference in the journey towards entrepreneurial success. While they may seem like separate concepts, they go hand in hand. But my hand now is full of patience, and I am working on taking persistence along too, as there are days when I do feel like giving up.
Read moreWhat is that Secret Ingredient that is always in your Entrepreneurial Journey?
by Yolanda Matine
I often compare my entrepreneurial journey to all the magic that happens in the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of a home, the same way that finding a problem to solve is at the centre of beginning an entrepreneurial journey. The kitchen is where creativity rises, passion flourishes, and hard work comes together to create delicious meals, just as in Ejourneys where innovative ideas, dedication, and perseverance combine to build a thriving venture.
Read moreHarnessing the power of colour to elevate your mindset
by Margaret Hirsch
Everything we do is geared towards being happy and feeling good about ourselves - however in life sh*t happens, life hacks you down and your job is to get up, dust yourself off and do whatever you need to do to feel good again. Some people exercise, some drink, some go shopping, some just curl up and stay in bed- what do you do when you don’t feel good about yourself?
Read moreHow to Strive Satisfied
by Lori Milner
If you don't have a 'pause' button, you're probably a Striver. We associate being a Striver with a badge of honour. It's linked with traits like being a high achiever, disciplined, organised, and successful. It's the mark of the go-getter and having it all together. These superpowers may have led to our success, but as with anything, there is a shadow side.
Read moreHow to turn your fear into fuel for entrepreneurial success
by Thembe Khumalo
Sometimes when you’ve taken a big leap, you are so conscious of the magnitude of what you’ve done that you don't think you can or should take any more major steps. That was me after leaving home at 22 years old - I was so determined to make my life work and validate the choices I had made, that I found it difficult to think beyond my immediate activities. This kind of paralysis can also hit entrepreneurs in the early stages of building their business, particularly when a huge risk has been taken to get to the start-up stage.
Read moreHow to Create a Powerful Brand Experience & Why it Matters
by Lori Milner
Consider a positive brand experience that stands out for you. It could be purchasing a product online and receiving your delivery ahead of schedule. How about a restaurant that created an amazing experience from start to finish? What experiences have you told friends about and done free PR because you were left with a lasting impression and impact?
Read moreThe Power of Positive self-story telling
by Refilwe Sebothoma
I’ve always been adamant that I don’t like hosting, my sister-in-law suggested that I do this for Christmas last year. Eventually, I agreed, but of course, it was going to be at a restaurant. And I remember her explaining why it wouldn’t work because it also “doesn’t have that family thing”. I felt defeated and said it’s ok, I’ll host at home.
Taking the leap – boldly paving the way to represent world-class brands
by Yolanda Matine
When I decided that I was turning my gift (cooking) into a business, every social media page I navigated into started showing me how the world of lunchboxes is so advanced in other places beyond Mozambique where we only have one well-referenced brand.
Read moreAbout being ghosted
by Teboho Seretlo
What does the term “ghosting” even mean? I looked it up on Google and this is what comes up: “Ghosting is when someone who used to be friendly or even romantic with you suddenly cuts off all communication without explanation. While most people think of ghosting in a digital context, meaning a friend or dating partner stops responding to texts, emails, calls, etc., it can happen across all social circumstances.” For me, where it says it can happen across all social circumstances, this is true. However, I daresay it happens across the spectrum, professionally too.
Read more